Bundles Of Joy And Chaos
by Moonlit Dreaming
Summary: The now married Mineral Town couples find themselves having to adjust when they learn that their families will be expanding. Series of fluffy oneshots, FoMT. Complete.
1. A Tiny Beginning

**Disclaimer **- Harvest Moon does not belong to me. 

**Author's note** - Hi everyone! I know I should be concetrating on my long-fics right now, but I had to write up this idea when it came to me. It's basically a set of six oneshots, each focusing on one of Mineral Town's canon pairings (including Jack x Goddess, though it's not really canon) having to deal with the female character's pregnancy. Each one's kind of a snapshot and when put together they'll tell the story. For example, this first one is Rickaren, with Karen discovering she's pregnant and the last will be Jack x Goddess where the baby arrives.

I hope that all makes sense, though I have a feeling it really doesn't! Ah well. Once more oneshots are posted it should be clearer (hopefully). Enjoy!

* * *

A Tiny Beginning

Snow was falling lightly, aided by the icy wind, onto Mineral Town's frozen streets. So far it had only amounted to a dusting, but it was slowly getting heavier and everyone was getting excited. Well, _almost_ everyone.

As she exited the Clinic alone, Karen was anything but. Her thoughts took her a million miles away from snowmen, sledging and ice-skating. Anything that could be considered fun really.

Suddenly she shivered and, thrusting her hands in her coat pockets, set off walking. Her destination she was currently unsure of, but decided it didn't matter as long as it kept her warm and gave her time to think. And there was so _much_ to think about.

It was all so sudden, too sudden. She could scarcely believe that after going into the Clinic for simple hangover relief, she'd emerged pregnant. Her! _Pregnant!_ Unable to contain herself any longer, Karen let out a snort of bitter, almost hysterical, laughter. Her long, light brown hair was blown into her face suddenly as the wind picked up and she brushed it aside, feeling irritated. Irritated with everything really, but to be more specific, herself.

Why, she thought desperately, as she marched on, why did this have to happen? In fact, in the Clinic she'd completely refused to believe them and was on the verge of causing a 'scene' when Elli worriedly suggested calling Rick. That snapped her out of it alright. Somehow - and Goddess she still wasn't sure _how_ she managed it - she pulled herself together and sauntered out looking almost like her usual, optimistic self. After all, telling Rick so soon was not an option.

She stopped dead at the entrance of Rose Square, finding herself blissfully distracted by the scene. The snow was falling thicker and faster now, in wide swirling circles. Watching it reminded of her of being a child during the bitter Mineral Town winters. She could remember every moment of those years, down to the tiniest detail. Trying in vain to catch snowflakes, sledging down Mother's Hill on flimsy planks of wood, building snowmen, making snow-angels...and always, _always_ being in the company of her best friend, Rick.

In spite of everything, a smile crept onto her face and it was then that the image of _her_ child doing these things in the future entered her head. Entered her head uninvitedly, she might add, but it still sent a strange burst of warmth and seemingly happiness spreading through her.

Karen blinked, bringing herself back to the present where she was currently stood feeling both cold and wet. At least externally. It was odd, but she couldn't seem to shift the warm, queasy feeling that had settled in her stomach. It didn't sound pleasant, but, strangely, it was. She felt excited, almost. Really, truly _excited._ Scared too, oh yes, more than she'd ever been, but in a good way. Weird didn't begin to describe it.

By the time she'd reached Poultry Farm, her home, Karen's attitude had changed somewhat. She was still shivering through both nerves and the worsening cold, but now she felt a steely determination overpowering every other little worry. She felt like _Karen_ again, though it was getting increasingly difficult to stay so strong.

The worries, while probably only small and niggling, were hard to suppress. They made her wonder. Wonder if Rick would be happy about the pregnancy, wonder if they'd manage...

Karen simply decided it was up to him. If he didn't like it then that was fine, she didn't care. Nope. Not at all.

It was then that she spotted him - her Rick. He was crossing the yard, a lone figure in amongst a blanket of snow. Apparently the wintery storm hadn't deterred him from going about his chores as normal and, honestly, Karen doubted anything would. A gale could be blowing out there and the chickens would still come first. Or second, of course. After her.

Once again, an inappropriately timed grin appeared on her face and with it came a burst of sudden, unexplicable laughter. Rick must have heard because at that particular moment he glanced up, blinking owlishly from beneath his glasses.

"Karen!" He came rushing over, his dark blond hair flying all over the place. "Are you okay? Did they give you some medicine then? Actually, you look kind of pale - "

Karen was very used to her husband's concern and usually loved it. Today was different though. Today she ignored it, knowing full well that it would be harder to leave, should he want no involvement. "I'm fine," she assured him, taking a deep breath. "Least I will be once I've got this out. And whatever your reaction, I - I don't care, right? No arguments. No changing your mind. No nothing. I'll manage, okay?"

Rick just gaped at her, his blue eyes wider than ever. "Karen, I don't - "

"I'm pregnant, Rick."

There was a horrible silence. The snow continued to fall between them.

Rick opened his mouth once, twice, three times, but still made no sound. He simply shrugged weakly.

Karen did too, but in an offhand way. She began to answer in what she hoped was an equally unconcerned sounding voice, when she was cut off by this almost animal like whoop. Rick spun away from her, throwing his arms into the air delightedly and yelling indistinctly. His joy radiated out, seeping infectiously into Karen and causing a childish giggle to escape her. Whether intentional or not, Rick mirrored her and for moment it was like they were kids again. Young, innocent, carefree...and yet, at the same time, what with Karen's revelation the idea was shattered forever. But while they both knew it, neither of the pair seemed to mind.

Calmer now, Rick returned to his wife and, throwing his arms around her neck, enveloped her in a tight, lasting hug. "You're okay with it?" Karen whispered after a moment.

"I'm thrilled, ecstatic, overjoyed...however you want to put it," he replied softly. "You're the wonder! I never thought you'd be the maternal type, I thought you'd run miles from this - "

"I guess I surprised myself," she laughed back, hoping her nerves wouldn't show. Just as Rick went to pull away though, she clung to him tight.

"What is it?" he soothed. "You scared?"

"Yep," Karen told him, her voice barely audible this time. "Terrified. Aren't you?"

"Uh-huh." It was Rick who was holding tight now. But just then he pushed her away so he could look her right in her big, green eyes. "We'll be fine though, Karen. It's good scared. Excited scared."

She repeated his words like a mantra, until they both burst out laughing. "So, you're definitely fine?" Karen repeated, as Rick sighed. He sounded highly exasperated with her, but luckily not irritated.

"Of course I am! How many times do I have to tell you?" he laughed, before his eyes grew shiny and wide with anticipation.

"What is it?" she asked.

Rick was practically buzzing with excitement by that point. "I've just thought," he breathed. "We've got to tell Mom, and I've got to write to Popuri and - "

Karen rolled her eyes while her husband babbled on; he sounded just like a proud parent already. And as they wandered back to the house a little while later, his arm draped proctectively over her shoulders, she smiled.

She had hope again.

* * *

**A/N** - Well, there you have it. I have a feeling this chapter was a bit too short, so sorry about that. The next one, which will be Kaipuri, should hopefully be longer, though they'll all probably be a similar length in the end.

Thanks for reading!


	2. Shocks

**Disclaimer **- I don't own Harvest Moon. 

**Author's note** - Hey everyone! This second oneshot of the series is going to be Kai x Popuri. It's not one of my favourite pairings, admittedly, but I've done my best with it. I hope it's turned out okay! Also, a big thanks to my reviewers, **Awesome Rapidash** and **Dancing Raindrop**.

* * *

Shocks

_Crash._

The ferry rocked and wobbled dizzingly as it was battered by merciless, towering waves. For the umpteenth time, the driver attempted to keep the boat steady, but it was to no avail.

_CRASH._

As the floor beneath her tilted yet again, Popuri sank further into her seat and covered her face with shaking hands. This was just _horrible,_ she concluded miserably. After giving herself a moment to recover, she warily opened one eye...then, after a further moment, tried the other. She scanned the deck slowly, very slowly, taking in each wooden plank one at a time. Before long the railings came into view followed by a glimpse of the vast, navy blue - urgh, no.

She was soon back to where she started, head in hands.

_CRASH._

Kai gripped the steel railing tighter as another wave hit, but, unlike his wife who groaned in the background, he loved this. It was all part of the deal as far as he was concerned. Part of being a traveller, part of the life he'd chosen. He swayed in time with the deck, while staring out at the clear, bright blue sky.

"Kai..."

He turned around to see Popuri peering anxiously through her fingers at him. Aww, he thought, smiling sympathetically back at her. He knew full well that the travelling between places was what she really hated, especially if boats were involved. "You okay, love?" he asked, as the moans got louder.

"Mhmm," she mumbled, closing her eyes again. "I mean...No. Yeah." She shrugged helplesely. "Don't know, actually."

Kai smiled, this time a little more worriedly, and came and sat beside his wife. He put his arm around her and she leant against him weakly. "You hate all this, don't you?"

"No! No, no, it's just the travel sickness, you know that," Popuri explained. She was speaking a lot slower than usual, obviously in a bid to avoid a spate of projectile vomitting.

Kai rubbed her back, before hesitantly asking, "Do you - do you think it's maybe the baby that's causing it? I mean, you're never normally _this_ bad!"

They both stared at her stomach even though there was no bump of any size yet. Popuri ran her delicate hands over her flat waist, her eyes sparkling. "Hmm, maybe," she mused. "I didn't really think of that."

The vessel carried on sailing, as a silence fell between the pair. "We'll be arriving in Mineral Town soon," Kai pointed out, after a while. Like his wife he was speaking a little differently from how he usually would; in his case much quiter.

Popuri patted his arm soothingly. "You're worried about telling Rick, aren't you?"

"Nah! Why would I be bothered about someone like _Rick_?" Kai insisted, while his pink-haired companion simply laughed.

* * *

After what seemed like an endless _enternity _to Popuri, the boat finally docked at Mineral Town beach. Her sickness vanished almost instantly as she stepped onto dry land and she found herself practically skipping along the pier.

All of this was much to her husband's amusement, but he discovered he was too nervous to even chuckle. Popuri was only too right, he realised, it _was_ Rick. Her brother didn't exactly intimidate him; never had done. Otherwise, he'd never have dared to marry Popuri, would he?

But, no, the problem was that he knew _exactly_ what Rick would say when he heard about his sister's pregnancy.

And it wasn't: 'Oh_ wow_, I just can't _wait_ to be an Uncle'.

Oh no, certainly not. In fact, if Rick had a word count for the next few hours 'irresponsible' would definitely top it. And what was worst of all?

The stupid chicken boy was probably right...

"Kai!" Popuri called suddenly, breaking straight through his whirl of thoughts. She was already at the other side of the beach, nearly about to climb the steps into town. A small frown appeared on her face and she shook her head at him. "Come _on,_ Kai! Quit day dreaming and hurry up! Mom and Rick'll be waiting for us."

He snapped into action, racing to catch up with her and taking each and every bag they had into his arms at once. "Sorry Poppy!" he panted, balancing a navy suticase with great difficulty. "I was just...thinking...you know."

Popuri let out a little giggle, "You don't have to carry everything, Kai. Here, give me the suitcase and a couple of the smaller bags. There!" Once they were sorted out and on their way into town, Kai could feel her watching him a little too intently.

"This place never changes, does it?" he asked as they strolled along the quaint streets. Bright sunlight bounced off the cobbles of which a sweltering summer heat rose to the clear blue sky above. He'd tried to keep his tone as calm as possible in asking, but Popuri was quick to realise he was only changing the subject.

She nodded in agreement, but quickly slipped her slender hand into his larger one. "Yeah," she replied softly. "It never does." But then, giving his hand a squeeze, she pulled him close, so close that she could whisper right in his ear. Her breath tickled the side of his face as she murmured, "I _know_ you're nervous about telling Rick, you know. After all, I may have candyfloss for hair, but I certainly don't have candyfloss for brains."

"I already know that, you silly thing!" he laughed, pulling her closer still.

"So will you admit you're nervous about Rick then?" Popuri pressed. They were walking past Yodel Farm now, so Kai could see there was little point in lying; it was probably written all over his face.

"Weell...kinda." He watched her closely for a moment. "...Aren't you?"

They came to a standstill just yards from Poultry Farm, now gripping hands as though their lives depended on it. "Okay," she admitted. "I am. But even though he's my brother, and I love him, he doesn't always know what's best for me. He didn't want me to marry you, after all, and that was just ridiculous because marrying you turned out to be the best decision of my life. Didn't it?"

Kai jumped to attention. "Yes, ma'am," he agreed, jokingly. He was grinning broadly and very nearly laughing, but still Popuri was unsatisfied. She could tell when it was just an act and when it was genuine. Needless to say, now was definitely an act.

"What is it Kai?" she asked again, hoping she didn't sound too pushy or whiny. She decided it didn't really matter, as desperate times called for desperate measures.

He looked hesitant, but eventually sighed, "What if he's right, Poppy? What if we're doing the wrong thing by dragging a kid into such an unstable lifestyle? Maybe we should re-think our plans - "

Popuri jerked away from him a little. She looked geninely shocked, but not neccesarily unhappy at what she'd heard. Just curious, that was all. "Are you - " she began, then paused. "Are you suggesting that we maybe _don't_ lea - ?"

Suddenly, with a bang and clatter, the door to the farm house burst open and two figures ran out into the sunlight. One was tall and thin, with floppy blond hair and thick glasses, while the other, the female of the pair, was slightly shorter, had much longer brown hair and pale skin.

She spotted them straight away. "_There_ you are!" she called out, appearing half-exasperated. Oddly, it sounded to Kai and Popuri as though Karen was on the verge of laughing or crying. Either way would be weird enough, as she was usually such a laid back person. Neither one extreme, nor the other, really.

As they approached, it became apparent that Karen, who was hand in hand with Rick, was both both crying _and_ laughing - or grinning at the least. "What's up?" Popuri asked the couple, after the usual greeting hugs. Or, in the case of Rick and Kai, curt handshakes.

Karen looked as though she was bursting to tell them, her green eyes shining with pride. But Rick very quickly shook his head and, with a sigh, she nodded. "We'll you tell you in a minute, okay? Once you're inside. Lillia will want to see your reactions, I expect. Or something like that," she added impatiently. She glanced at Rick, giving his arm a tug. "Come on, then! Lets _go_, I can't keep it in anymore!"

Barely waiting for the others, Karen rushed off towards the house. "Wow," Popuri smiled, watching her friend with amazement. "She's certainly happy."

"Uh-huh," Rick agreed, though he didn't appear to be listening properly. In fact, the same dreamy smile Karen wore could be found on his face. Popuri regarded him with amusement for a moment.

Then she gasped.

"What?" the guys asked in unison. Kai had his head on one side, looking concerned, while Rick was frowning at her as though she'd grown an extra head.

"Nothing! It's really nothing. Just...can I speak to Kai for a moment? Alone? You go in, Rick. We'll be with you in a sec. Go on!" she added, as he continued to hestitate.

When the door eventually clicked shut, Popuri seized her husband by the shoulders - much to his confusion and alarm, of course. "Karen's pregnant," she announced, sounding insanely proud of herself. "Isn't she?"

Kai, however, was comletely and utterly nonplussed. "Huh?" he managed after a moment of simply staring. "I don't understand."

"Well, think about it. The happy looks, the excitement, the whole _we've got something to tell you_...It's obvious."

He nodded; it _did_ seem to make sense after all. And yet - "But they're not even married!" Kai laughed suddenly, realising. "In fact, I thought they'd only just starting dating. Nah, if I know Rick, he's one to take things a little slower than that."

As realisation hit her, Popuri's face fell. "Oh," she said, clearly deflated. "I guess so. And there was me imagining our children growing up together..."

Kai put his arm around her comfortingly. "Hey! They still might. I mean, Karen and Rick are obviously very close - "

And, just like that, seemingly in unison, it hit them.

"You don't think - ?"

" - An engagement maybe - "

" - I can't believe it!"

Sure enough, when they pushed open the door there was no doubt about it. A large white banner reading, 'Congratulations', was hung near the fireplace and mingling with the usual scent of baking was the faint smell of alcohol. Champagne, judging by the glass in Karen's hand.

They all smiled welcomingly at the new arrivals, and Karen, apparently, could keep the news in no longer. "We're getting married!" she practically screamed. After that, everything was a whirl of hugs and kisses and, tears and laughter. And, unfortunately, champagne.

Popuri stared nervously at the glass that had been thrust into her hand. Her teeth nibbled along her bottom lip, as she contemplated not drawing attention to the fact that she wasn't drinking it. At first, it seemed as though nobody would notice; Rick and Karen were, frankly, more interested in each other.

Lillia did though. She was her mother, so of course she did. She watched her daughter intently and saw it all. Saw Popuri's glowing, shining eyes and her rounded happy features...

And with a quick, teary whisper of, 'Oh Poppy, darling', she was across the room and hugging her as though she'd never let go. Watching her over his mother-in-law's shoulder, Kai could only beam. It was okay, he realised, as the worries of earlier faded away.

Sure, Rick gave them his opinion when he heard, but it still went much better than expected. After a moment of ranting, his 'protective older brother' persona fell for a moment and he showed them how truly pleased he was. Deep down, at least.

It wasn't the best reaction in the world, but it was a start. And even if his suuport didn't last, it really didn't matter.

What mattered was that they'd made a sick, frail woman's day. A day that got better still when she realised just where her grandcild would be growing up.

* * *

**A/N** - Well...good? Bad? I'd love to know what you think! Next up will be Doctor x Elli, which I hope to post within the next few weeks or hopefully sooner. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review!


	3. Difficulties

**Disclaimer **- I do not own Harvest Moon. 

**Author's note** - Hey all! Sorry for the lateness (and shortness) of this, but here's the Doctor x Elli installment at last. Now I love this adorable pairing, yet I've never written it before, so I sincerely hope I haven't completely ruined it! And, as always, thanks to my reviewers: **Tamaki11**, **The Scarlet Sky**, **Dancing Raindrop** and **Awesome Rapidash**.

* * *

Difficulties

Doctor Timothy Pritchard, Mineral Town's very own medical expert, knew every aspect of pregnancy. He knew all about the hormones and their affects. He knew exactly what was supposed to happen and at what stage. In fact, he knew pretty much everything.

Well...almost.

For you see, while he knew all _that_, what he _didn't _know was how to deal with it in his own wife. And that just so happened to be the most important detail of all.

Basically, he was in for a tough nine months. Not that he'd have have mentioned that to Elli though. Not unless he wanted a very sarcastic - and highly uncharacteristic - reply in return...

* * *

Elli sat restlessly at her desk, her eyes shifting nervously from one side of it to the other. On the right were piles of her usual paperwork, while on the left sat a tower of pregnancy related hard-backs. An audible sigh escaped the young brunette, as a grimace crossed her lips.

It wasn't as though she was unhappy about having a baby - in fact, she'd never been more thrilled - it was more, well, _Tim_ really.

Oh, he was excited too, no doubt about it. Only, as with any emotionally charged subject that entered their lives, Tim had thrown himself into the technical side of things. Usually, Elli found his little way of dealing with situations cute and endearing. Not this time, however. No, the last thing she wanted to hear, when Goddess knows how many hormones were battering her body, was their _scientific name_. Or, perhaps, a 'useful' quote for '100 Things You Should Know About Pregnancy'. And why _he_ needed that particular book was beyond Elli.

She loved Tim, of she did, though at the moment he was driving her utterly _mad_.

Deep down, Elli realised that Tim was acting no different to how he normally would. In fact, she was probably over-reacting slightly. It was just so difficult at such an emotional time...

Just then the Clinic door opened, allowing in a gust of Fall wind that brought with it several dead leaves. Elli sighed as they settled on the reception floor, before turning her attention to her husband. The dark-haired doctor, still dressed in his usual white overcoat, was currently struggling to close the door and balance a large bag of groceries at the same time.

"Right," he said, as the door finally shut with a snap. "I think I managed to get everything you asked for on the list. And I paid the tab, too, while I was there."

Elli's eyes widened as she made her way over to inspect his purchases. "I said _I'd_ pay the bill," she pointed out, trying to stop her voice from getting ridiculously high-pitched. It had been happening a lot lately and although she'd been telling herself not to get wound up over such petty things, her emotions simply ran away with her.

Fortunately, Tim seemed not to notice. "Well, I thought I may as well pay seeing as I was there," he explained, carrying the bag over to her desk. "Though actually I don't think I'm up to this shopping business at all; in fact, I think I may have forgotten something. I'm afraid you may have to pop there yourself, tomorrow."

Either that, Elli thought with a smile, or he was being incredibly tactful. A quick glance at the shopping showed her that everything she'd asked for was present and purchased in exactly the requested quantities. Tim was clearly not the amateur he made himself out to be.

Currently, he was flicking through her pile of pregnancy books with only a vague interest and seemed to have other things on his mind. While she packed the shopping back into the bag, Elli watched him, waiting patiently.

"Elli?" Tim ventured after a little while. He was flicking through the pages of one particularly battered book agitatedly. Whether it was from nerves or excitement, though, Elli couldn't tell.

"Mmm?" she answered softly.

"You know you're due a scan, don't you?" he said slowly, as though talking to a patient. "You know, to check that there's no problem with the baby?"

Elli laughed, "Yes Tim, I'm familiar with the process!"

Chuckling in return, albeit a little worriedly, Tim made his way to the door. In one quick movement he flicked the sign that hung there from 'Open' to 'Closed'. It was then that Elli's relieved smile faltered a little.

"Now?" she asked hesitantly. She was fine talking about the scan as if it were in the distance future; in fact, she was pretty excited in that case. Today, though, was another matter entirely.

"Yes, now," Tim clarified. He walked back and slipped a comforting arm around his wife. "There's really nothing to worry about, you know. I just need to check that the baby's growing properly and that there are no complications. I thought today would be best, you see, because we don't have any appointments this afternoon. So is that okay?"

It most definitely wasn't - at least, not for Elli. Try as she might, she just couldn't help worrying about her unborn child. What if there _was_ something wrong? Tim would be devastated and though he'd never blame her, she'd forever blame herself. After all, no one else was carrying this child, but her. There was no one else to blame.

"Oh, but - well - " Elli stuttered. There were far too many frightening scenarios and worrying 'what ifs' swirling around her head for her to form a coherent thought, let alone voice any of them. "But what if... Jeff needs us?" she finished lamely instead.

"You know, I think he'll manage!" Tim laughed.

Not long later - though after many more protests - Elli was lying on the hospital bed, while Tim fiddled with the ultrasound equipment. As a way of calming down almost, Elli was patting her fast growing bump affectionately. "Will you be able to tell the sex of the baby yet?" she wondered aloud as the thought occured to her.

"I should think so," Tim replied absently. He was still sorting out the relatively new equipment and, only moments afterwards, a fuzzy black and white image flickered into life on the screen. He breathed a sigh of relief, before enquiring, "And do you wish to know it?"

"The sex of the baby? Well..." Elli hesitated, not quite sure what to say. She had always wanted it to be a surprise, right up until the birth, but, of course, Tim would be able to tell from the scan. And it would certainly be very odd if he knew and she didn't.

Reaching around, Tim took her hand sympathetically. "If you'd rather not know, then I'll simply keep it to myself," he assured her. "I think I can manage that."

Somehow, Elli doubted the plan would work, but she nodded anyway, allowing Tim to continue examining the screen. To her it looked like nothing more than a selection of blobs and sqiggles, though judging by the inquiring expression on Tim's face, she was wrong.

"There!" he said suddenly, causing Elli to jump. "There! There's our baby's heartbeat!"

Relief washed through the young nurse, so blessed and wondrous that she couldn't help, but sigh. "Everything's okay then?"

"I should say so!" Tim replied happily. He was beaming at the monitor with such intense pride that Elli found it infectious. "He's doing great."

As soon as the words had crossed his lips, the couple froze in shock. Elli stared at the screen as silence descended over the room. "He?" she squeaked after a pause. Tim, meanwhile, sat awkwardly in his seat, his usually pale face flushed crimson with embarrassment.

"Uh - I mean - " he stammered, trying to undo the damage. By this point, though, it was far too late. "I _am_ sorry, Elli."

Surprisingly, Elli shook her head. "It's fine," she insisted, her voice coming out rather thick and muffled due to the tears streaming down her cheeks. "I just can't believe it - we're going to have a baby boy."

Suddenly, the screen before her no longer seemed fuzzy and strange - it had a meaning. One so deep and powerful and hope filled that Elli felt she could watch her little boy's heartbeat forever. It was only when Tim at last turned off the equipment that she wrenched her stare away.

Her eyes met Tim's and they both smiled. "I don't why I'm crying," Elli laughed, as her husband leant forward and brushed his fingers along her tear stained cheeks. "I'm being so stupid!"

"No, you're not," Tim reassured her. "It's not your fault, it's the hormones - " And just like that, he was once again babbling away in 'Doctor Mode'.

This time, though, Elli didn't get mad.

Instead, she simply kissed him.

* * *

**A/N** - Ahh! So...much...fluff... Thanks for reading and don't forget to review! Next up will be Cliff x Ann. Bye!


	4. Debates

**Disclaimer** - Harvest Moon is not mine.

**Author's note** - Hi everybody! Ready for another dose of canon-y goodness? This one's Cliff x Ann and, despite being a huge Jack x Ann fan, I had **so** much fun writing it. I hope you all enjoy it too! Thanks to all who reviewed: **SweetDreamer93**, **StarrNight**, **Suupaa Panda**, **Awesome Rapidash**, **The Scarlet Sky** and **Dancing Raindrop**. Thanks again, I love hearing your views. 

* * *

Debates

Ominous grey storm clouds hung low over Mineral Town as water bounced off it's streets. The sound of relentless, thrashing rain echoed within the Inn, pounding the walls and ceiling incessantly. Ann, though, didn't get the chance to stop by a window and observe the unusual weather.

Well, of course she didn't. She simply didn't have the _time_ for such things. As per usual she was busy, busy, busy and that was just the way she liked it.

With Cliff at work, her father out on business and the restaurant empty, Ann was finally able to get on with the cleaning she'd had to put off recently. It hadn't been her choice to cut down on her work - that was her father and Cliff's doing. Cliff especially had been keen for her to quit cleaning altogether when they found out about the baby. That was once he'd regained the ability to speak, of course.

It_ had_ been such a shock pregnancy, though, Ann recalled as she leant awkwardly to wipe a table; it was getting so difficult now as her bump continued to grow and grow. They were married at the end of last Winter, which had been a huge adjustment in itself nevermind an unexpected pregnancy barely a week later. Her father had been thrilled, Ann remembered as she grabbed her broom and got started on some serious sweeping. Not so much her and Cliff though...at least not at first. It just wasn't really the start they'd planned for their marriage. They wanted to get used to each other first, not get bogged down in baby stuff. But, after much bickering and the initial fainting fit - in Cliff's case, anyway - the idea actually began to grow on them. And now they were eagerly anticipating the arrival of their first son, due in only a few weeks time.

Ann gracefully finished her sweeping, making one last majestic movement and then throwing the broom into the air, twirling as she did so.

Unfortunately for her, though, Cliff chose that moment to return home from the Winery. The door swung open revealing a gloomy, thunderous day as her soaking, bedraggled husband dashed inside to escape the storm. "And they're calling this Summer?" he laughed bitterly, shaking water droplets from his dark hair.

Smiling sweetly in return, Ann hurriedly clasped the broom handle to her back, keeping it well out of view. After all, what Cliff didn't know, wouldn't hurt him, right? "Hello honey!" she lisped in her most sugary-sweet (and utterly false) Perfect Wife voice. It was only to be used when absolutely necessary and normally worked. No such luck today, though. Today Cliff was suspicious.

His eyebrows knotted together in a frown as he observed his wife. The expression on her face was _surely_ too innocent. "Ann..." he began slowly. "Is that a broom hidden behind your back?"

There was a pause while Ann considered her options. "Um...No," she answered eventually, shaking her head clearly. Just then there was an almighty clatter as the broom slipped from her grip and hit the floor behind her.

"...I honestly don't know where that came from."

"Ann!" Cliff cried out, exasperated. "I thought we had an agreement about you working."

The redhead sighed, bending with difficultly to retrieve her broom. Quick as a flash, Cliff darted over to help, but he still looked distinctly disappointed. So did Ann. "No Cliff," she retorted fiercely. "_You_ said I should give up cleaning. _I _just nodded along."

"Y-yes," Cliff stuttered, faltering slightly under his wife's glare. "But I only suggested it because I don't want anything to happen to the baby. Or you for that matter."

"Huh." Ann turned away sharply and swept across the floor towards the back wall. "I think 'suggested' is putting it a bit mildly myself. More like _dictated_." The last word came out as a sour hiss that caused Cliff to wince. He thought she was absolutely furious with him, but, of course, he couldn't see the small smile playing on her lips or the way her blue eyes were shining mischeviously.

"Look...Ann..." he mumbled, approaching warily and placing a hand on her shoulder. She didn't shrug him off, but visibly stiffened her body in mock protest.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry," he whispered softly. "I didn't mean to upset you at all. And you're right, the floor was getting dusty. And - and - omph!" He was cut of mid-speech as Ann spun around and hugged him briefly.

Her hands wound around his body, eventually managing to pat him on the back sympathetically. "It's okay Cliff," she soothed, smiling into his chest. "I forgive you. Aa_rghh_ - oh!" Suddenly, the smile on her face became much more real. "It's the baby," she breathed. "He's kicking again."

"Wow." Cliff had already felt the baby moving, of course, but it was a feeling he never got bored of. "Amazing, isn't it?" he asked, while Ann could only nod in agreement. She was positively beaming as she patted her large bump.

"C'mon," she said after a little while. "I'll get the tea together. You hungry?"

Meal times at the Inn were usually very cosy events as far as Ann could manage. It was a mixture of the smell and taste of some of the town's finest cooking, combined with the lively atmosphere, normally brought about by her exaggerated tales of the day's customers. Gray used to eat with the family on the odd occasion, but had now started to spend an increasing amount of time at the Library. And, of course, things were set to get a lot livelier still what with the impending birth of their son.

Today was no exception, despite the absence of Doug. It left the kitchen a little quieter than they were accustomed to, but Ann and Cliff were simply grateful to drink in the remaining peace they had left - for neither were naive enough to believe it would continue once the baby was born.

The couple had just finished one of Ann's unbeatable curries and were starting on a dessert of apple pie, when Cliff brought up a subject that had been bothering him all day. "Ann?" he questioned, frowning out of curiosity. "Do you want to know what I was thinking about at work today?"

Ann considered for a moment, a spoonful of pastry frozen half-way to her mouth. "Hmm, probably not!" she laughed, shovelling the food in quickly and swallowing again within the blink of an eye. "Though I expect you're going to tell me anyway."

"Well, I was just wondering..." He rummaged deeply in his jacket pocket and pulled out a battered, dusty paperback. "...about names."

In the brief pause that followed, Ann stared at it. "What? For the baby?" Personally, she could see that this was a pretty stupid question, as the book was proudly titled, "1000 Baby Names And Their Meanings'.

Cliff, however, was brimming was excitement and didn't seem to notice. "Yeah," he explained enthusiastically. "Manna gave it to me. Apparently, Aja was going to be Sarah before they found this little gem." His wife raised her eyebrows skeptically and he asked, "So have you had any thoughts so far? You know, about what to call him?"

Ann made a vague, non-commital noise, instead opting to swallow a huge mouthful of food. "Nmpf," she mumbled. In truth, she'd been trying to come up with a good name for ages, but had annoyingly drawn a total blank. "I haven't really had any good ideas yet," she admitted slowly, toying with her food. "It's just...difficult. More difficult than I expected anyway."

She felt a little embarrassed in admitting it, actually, but Cliff was fortunately very understanding. He nodded, "Well neither did I until today. Seriously, this book gave me all sorts of ideas."

Ann wasn't sure whether or not that was such a good thing. "Like?" she asked warily, hoping that her son wouldn't be lumbered with many middle names, each as ridiculous as the next, or else named like he'd been born in the eighteenth century.

"Okay," he exclaimed, looking insanely happy and excited. "What do you think of... Jacob?"

Jacob, Ann thought, trying the name out over and over again in her head. Hmm. Well, it sounded okay and was _much _better than what she thought Cliff would come up with. "It's fine I guess," she shrugged.

The highly-pleased-with-himself look currently plastered on Cliff's face only increased at these words. "Great! So we'll consider Jacob then?"

"No."

For a second, Cliff looked stunned, as though he couldn't quite believe his ears. Then, very slowly, the smile was wiped from his face. "W - what? I thought you just said it was okay."

"Yes, I did," Ann agreed matter-of-factly. She stood up and starting collecting the dishes with clatter, while Cliff followed her to the sink, still clutching his beloved book. "The thing is though I don't _want_ it to be okay. Not _just_ okay, anyway. I want it to be - oh, I don't know - different and unique, yet still personal to our family. You _do_ know what I mean, don't you?"

Something told her Cliff didn't quite understand how she felt. Maybe even she didn't. But despite looking slightly deflated, he was undeterred in his quest to find a suitable name. "Fine!" he told her. "We can have that. Let's see now..." Within seconds he was once again flicking through yellowing pages, stopping every now and then and giving an excited little grin. Ann groaned, telling him to stop, but the only reply she recieved was barrage of frenzied suggestions.

"Quentin. Wesley. Oh, I know - _Phoenix_." Some ideas merely recieved an exasperated look and a shake of the head, while others, more brutally, were treated to a burst of sudden laughter.

Cliff was still droning on, getting more and more frustrated as time went by, when Ann, half-way through the washing-up, was hit by an idea of her own. She could almost picture a little lightbulb flickering away above her head, as she gleefully turned back to her husband.

"I've got one," she announced, cutting Cliff off mid-flow. "Brace yourself for this now, it's pure genius. So, how about _Felix?"_

Silence followed this particular suggestion. Until, eventually, Cliff began nodding slowly and Ann felt relief flood through her. "Okay," he agreed. "Felix. But I've got a question. What on earth will we name the other kittens?"

He was abruptly hit, square in the face, by a flying tea towel.

"Cliff!" an irate Ann yelled. "Okay, forget it," she insisted, abandoning the plates and cutlery in an instant. "I'm off upstairs to give the rooms a good clean. Goddess knows they need it."

As good as her word, she headed straight into the bar and then made her way to the stairs. His conscience catching up with him, Cliff skidded desperately after her. "Ann," he shouted from the foot of the stairs. "Wait! I'm sorry, I really am." There was no reply to this plea, but, unbeknownst to him, Ann was lingering just out of sight on the landing.

"I've got more names," he called again, sounding distinctly pleading. "Um...um...Tobey? Percy? _Clifford Junior!?"_

That was it, Ann decided, as she gave away her position in a explosion of uncontrolled giggles. She peered around the corner, as Cliff looked back at her with wide eyes. "No, no - " she answered, nearly laughing. " - And have you gone completely insane?"

Perhaps, she thought, entering Gray's empty room a little while later, Jacob wasn't such a bad idea after all... 

* * *

**A/N** - Yay, another oneshot complete! Look forward to Gray x Mary next - I certainly am.


	5. Worries

**Disclaimer - **Harvest Moon does not belong to me.

**Author's Note - **Wow. I'm _so_ sorry that this is over a month late. I really don't know how I got so behind! Well anyway, here, at last, is the Gray x Mary oneshot. Enjoy it! By the way, this is NOT the final chapter. It may be the last of the canon pairings, but I'm finishing up with Jack x Goddess instead.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed: **SweetDreamer93**, **JasminexDragon**, **The Scarlet Sky**, **Gaby**, **Dancing Raindrop**, **Jesi Chan** and **10Join-Fei**. Thank you all so much for the support!

* * *

Worries

It was today.

Today - as in the immediate future, very _very_ soon and at last the end of weeks of waiting - that her life was about to change forever. And Mary couldn't help feeling incredibly nervous about it.

_How had this happened?_ she wondered frantically, pacing about the spotless Library floor. Okay, so 'pacing' was perhaps a stretch. 'Waddling' was far closer to the truth. But Mary wasn't worried about that. She defied _anyone_ to achieve an elegant, panther-like pace as they reached the final day of their pregnancy. In actual fact, she rather liked her bump and had quite grown used to it. She adored feeling the baby kick, despite how uncomfortable it could be and her near constant dashes for the toilet.

No, it wasn't that which worried her. It was just...after. Mary being Mary - in other words, utterly organised and always prepared - everything was already in place for her baby's arrival. The final touches had been added to the nursery, which was now a haven of pale pink paint, floral borders and mounds of toys. Gray and Saibara had built a lovely, little crib (also pink) and even her name, Rose, had long been decided.

In that respect, everything was perfect.

Only Mary _knew_ it wasn't. By some miracle, she'd survived the pregnancy and even the thought of the imminent birth didn't bother her too much. Afterwards was the scary part. At the beginning of her pregnancy, she and Gray had discussed it being a 'good scary' - an exciting one even. Now, as far Mary could see, there was no 'good' about it. She was plain terrified.

What if Rose took an instant disliking to her? Or she simply couldn't stop her crying?

Gray knew nothing of her worries, of course. They were relatively recent, for one thing, and, deep down, she could admit that they were a little irrational. But that was the thing about fears, wasn't it? You couldn't just pick and choose how you felt, as more often than not thoughts just ended up running amok. At least they did for Mary. Anyway, one thing she _did_ have control over was how much she told Gray, so she made the decision not to burden him.

And not being the most in-tune with the emotions of others, he was unlikely to notice by himself.

Almost without thinking, Mary's eyes darted anxiously to the calendar that hung on the wall behind her desk. She was drawn to the vibrant magenta star that covered today's date and the four proud letters beneath it. Rose, of course; she'd scrawled it there mere minutes after they chose the name in this very room. Bu that was back when things were new and exciting. Not like now...

Mary continued to wander back and forth, glancing longingly at the books which lined the shelves. Even they were no good to her now. She'd attempted reading over the last few days, but it had become impossible. The words that were once clear as crystal and comforting, now squiggled and writhed across the page, making no sense at all.

It was a dire situation, she noted worriedly, when her trusty, ink and paper friends became redundant.

There was a sudden creak from the general direction of the doorway, causing the librarian to spin around hopefully. She was half-expecting Gray to stroll over the threshold, home from work early. Soon it became apparent, though, that it had only been the chilly Spring wind.

Mary sighed tiredly, removing her glasses in order to rub her aching eyes. He'd have to get home soon, she thought. Because it was today. Not tomorrow, not in a week. Rose was coming _today._

Oh Goddess...today, today, _today._

* * *

Turns out she needn't have worried. Apparently, little Rose didn't fancy the seventh of Spring for her birthday. Neither did she seem to like the eight or the ninth. The tenth was also shelved, along with the eleventh. And the twelfth.

"It's perfectly normal for babies to be a little late," Elli explained cheerfully, during a routine, yet slightly unexpected, check-up.

Gray, who was sat beside Mary, earned a brief 'look' from his wife. _He_ was nodding along calmly to everything the nurse said, while she felt a little less reassured. Which actually was a bit of an understatement. "Huh," the normally reserved librarian snapped. "That's all very well and good, isn't it? You know, coming from someone whose _three_ young sons were all delivered on _exactly_ their due dates."

It seemed that Elli had no reply to that. Claiming her husband, the doctor, had called her, she hastily scurried through the blue curtain, looking highly grateful to get away.

Gray was left completely shocked by the incident. Had his shy, sweet Mary really said that? Judging by the groan that escaped to his left, she was clearly thinking the same thing. "Um...that was a little harsh, don't you think?" he asked the ceiling, before chuckling somewhat nervously.

"Uh-huh..." Mary replied. Her voice sounded muffled and when Gray looked around, he realised she had her head in her hands. Perhaps she was even on the verge of crying, though he sure hoped not.

"L - look," Gray mumbled awkwardly. "It's okay, you're just stressed out. Elli understands." He patted his wife's back ineffectually, wishing his soothing words didn't sound so strange coupled with his gruff tone.

Mary appeared to feel a _tiny_ bit better, as, after a brief, but genuine apology to Elli, she confessed her worries to Gray during the short walk home. "It's just so uncomfortable now," she explained sadly. "I thought I wasn't ready for Rose, but now...I just don't think I can take anymore waiting! It's driving me mad."

Upon reaching the Library, Gray fumbled the keys in the frozen lock as he struggled to open the door. "Sorry," he mumbled, when it eventually swung forward with a squeak. "Hey - at least the weather's still cold though!"

As she plodded inside, Mary stared at him, too weary to decipher his ramblings. "How do you mean?"

Gray darted a nervous look at his wife, while closing the door. "W - well - I mean - you know - " With every stuttering, indistinguishable word, Gray's face grew steadily a darker and darker shade of crimson. "If it was the Summer and r - really hot, you'd be even more uncomfortable, wouldn't you? I - I think?"

By the time he'd finished, Mary was smiling gratefully. "Yes, Gray, I guess I would," she answered, as he shuffled off, mumbling, red-faced about all the important things he had to do. What they were, Mary didn't know, as everything was perfectly in place for the baby.

And now, after the appointment at the Clinic, she felt mentally prepared too. In fact, after the bliss of sharing things with Gray, Mary would be fine even if Rose was born today!

Only she wasn't.

The fourteenth of Spring dawned bright and beautiful and calm in Mineral Town. Anna and Basil left early that morning, eager to enjoy the shining sunshine of Mother's Hill. At least that's what they claimed. Mary, however, knew - and she didn't blame them at all - that they simply wanted to escape the stormy atmosphere back home.

She felt hopelessly deflated during breakfast, as she thought back over another baby-less day. "Do you realise," she began dully, while Gray grimly poured a trickle of milk over his cereals, "that if she's not born today, Rose'll be a week late? A whole week."

"Oh, yes," Gray agreed, before he could stop himself. When he looked up, Mary was watching him with eyes that were just a little _too_ bright and shiny. The hormones, he realised - though that wouldn't make an ounce of difference once the water works were in full flow. "Look Mary," Gray began hurriedly, as crying women - even his own wife - were really not his scene. He cast around for the elusive silver lining, eventually landing lamely on, "My Grandfather always says, patience is a virtue."

"And not one I'm particularly fond of," Mary added. She blushed slightly as Gray gaped; this pregnancy just brought out the worst in her.

The day dragged on and on, with Mary ending up wandering aimlessly around the ground floor of the Library. She'd insisted on working, despite Gray's pleas. After all, it would be _horribly_ ironic if, on the _one_ day it was closed, somebody finally decided to visit.

From his position behind her desk, Gray watched Mary intently as she painstakingly re-arranged some hardbacks. He could tell the job was made a whole lot harder by the way her fingers were shaking. Whether it was from nerves or excitement or what, he simply couldn't tell. What he _did_ know, however, was that it drove him mad.

The final straw came when one of the books slipped from Mary's grasp, unleashing a cloud of dust and sending her into a coughing fit. "If anything gets Rosie out of you, it'll be _that_," Gray muttered in exasperation, pulling his wife into a nearby seat.

"S - sorry," Mary wheezed, attempting a weak smile. "I just don't know what to do for the best anymore." She temporarily rubbed a hand over her stomach, before moving it up to tug furiously at her long black hair. Gray went to stop her, but Mary wasn't done venting her frustration yet. "This last week has been such a rollercoaster - pardon the cliched language, please. First, I didn't want to have her at all, then I couldn't wait and now...well, now I just don't know anymore..."

Gray had never felt a stab go through him, like the one he felt at Mary's lost and hopeless words. He knelt down beside her and patted the huge bump sympathetically. "It's been totally crazy," he admitted. "_I've_ turned into the sensible one!" They both laughed at that, which was nothing short of a miracle given how stressed they were.

"Seriously, Rose will arrive when she's ready," he continued, wondering why he was blushing _now_ of all times. Clearly, the subject didn't have to be embarrassing at all; _any_ damn thing would do. "I know it doesn't sound fair, but I guess that's just the way it is. You've got to stop worrying about it."

Slowly, after what seemed like an age, Mary nodded. "Okay," she squeaked, her voice barely audible. The couple hugged - albeit with great difficulty - before Gray headed off upstairs, claiming he was going to help arrange the books. Normally, Mary wouldn't have been so thrilled, but he was only trying to help, so she let him go. She couldn't believe it...a calm, collected, level-headed Gray? Perhaps his joke about being the sensible one wasn't so far from the truth after all.

Meanwhile, as he sat upstairs separating the cookery from the farming books, Gray was having similar thoughts. He couldn't believe how easily he'd calmed Mary. It was amazing and he couldn't wait to see Anna's face when she found out from her daughter later on.

In fact such was his confidence, that when Mary appeared in the doorway, her eyes worried and her cheeks pink, Gray flew straight into Sooth Mode. "Mary, didn't I say not to get worked up again? It's okay, everything will be okay. Rose will be here - "

"_Now!_" Mary interrupted suddenly. "You don't understand, Gray. My waters have just broken and I'm having the baby right now, she's finally on her way - Oh!" After growing paler and paler at her words, there was thump as Gray fell to the floor in a dead faint.

Calm, collected and level-headed? Maybe not.

* * *

**A/N** - There you have it, the Grary oneshot complete. Thanks for reading and don't forget to review and tell me what you thought. Bye for now!


	6. And A Happyish Ending

**Disclaimer -** I don't own Harvest Moon

**Author's note -** Hey all! Here's the _final_ oneshot of the series, Jack x Goddess. I think my take on it's a little twisted and strange, but it's definitely one of my favourites so far. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the series at some point; you're all great. Enjoy!

* * *

And A Happy-Ish Ending

" - And fortunately the rain should have peetered out by the end of the afternoon." The pretty, blonde weather girl smiled out of the television screen as she cheerfully concluded her report.

Moments later, her pixelated image vanished in a crackle as Jack morosely flicked the remote in the direction of the screen. He decided to leave the television off altogether. There was never anything decent on Mineral Town's limited channels and they didn't show even the cheesiest, most low-budget of movies.

The word 'bored' had never been more understated. Restlessly, Jack's brown eyes flickered across his beautifully modern farmhouse. His years living here had been spent crafting it to what it was today. Polished wood flooring ran throughout the open-plan ground floor, the kitchen was spotless and the large fireplace burned brightly during the Winter. Perhaps it was a little high maintenance for the average working farmer, but Jack didn't mind. It was no longer a cold, showroom house, it was his home. He only wished he could properly share it.

Suddenly, a high-pitched yelp tore through the night air just outside the farmhouse. Jack didn't even bat an eyelid. He knew full well that it was only Crusher, his cowardly guard dog. Crusher was _supposed_ to be out there warding off vicious wild dogs, but more often than not, they ended up giving _him_ the runaround. Many a night had passed in which Jack was forced to get up and let a whimpering Crusher inside to curl up under the bedcovers. And the irony of the name wasn't lost on him, either.

His wife had thought it to be utterly ridiculous when she heard. Oh yeah - that was another _tiny_ fact about Jack. He was married, but it wasn't as though you'd know it.

Put simply, marriage wasn't _quite_ how he'd pictured it. He thought things would liven up after his wedding and yet here he was, sat alone in the house. Again. Just like every other night.

A further few minutes dragged by until, at last, Jack gave in and decided to slouch off to bed. Television was clearly dead and even Crusher had quietened down, so there was nothing for him to stay up for.

_Wait!_ Was that - ? Jack froze completely, gazing curiously at the darkened window. He could have _sworn_ he saw a flash of white light there. Well, there were only two things that could be. Lightning - on a calm Spring evening, mind you - or else -

Sure enough, just seconds later, an imperiously loud knock rang out. Jack attempted to act nonchalant, but he just couldn't help the thrill that went through him at the sound of it. He knew what - or rather who - he would see when he opened the door. It unleashed a wave of emotions within him ranging from anger to excitement to relief. But mostly excitement.

"Jack! Hello!" a regal, feminine voice called out as the door was flung open and a yellowy light flooded the lawn. It wasn't necessary. Shimmering, white energy radiated from the figure, allowing her to be illuminated in even the blackest, darkest of lights. Her wide, cat-like eyes were unnaturally green and her hair, of the exact same colour, fell in an elegant braid. All of that was weird enough, without even considering he fact that she was hovering effortlessly a foot above the ground. Anyone else would have been left speechless at the sight of her. Except for Jack. After all this wasn't just any divine apparition - this was his wife.

He fully wanted to show her how angry he was for her desertion, but somehow couldn't help feeling awed by her appearance. Perhaps it was a spell she had him under. "Er - why d'you knock?" Jack stuttered, once he'd regained his voice. "When you could have just..." He gestured wildly. "..._appeared_."

The Goddess gave him a knowing, yet sweet smile. "I like to blend in," she revealed, gliding smoothly into the room. The door snapped shut behind her, apparently of it's own accord. "After all, when with humans do as the humans do."

"Yeah, because we levitate," Jack muttered quietly.

Somehow, she still managed to hear him, and said confidently, "Easily remedied." There was a _snap,_ that may have been nothing more than a click of the fingers, and the glow that surrounded her disappeared at once. Finally, with a strange twirl in mid-air, the Goddess landed gracefully on two feet.

Jack could only gawp, thinking he'd never, _ever_ get used to this. "Unmph..."

"I've got some news for you, Jack," she continued briskly, wandering over to his dining room table and perching herself on the edge. She carefully ignored his awed expression, but couldn't seem to conceal the grin that tugged at her lips. "As you know, we've been married for almost a year now - "

_...Why,_ Jack wondered, _was she talking to him like he didn't already know all of this..._

" - And I've been very busy with my duties as Harvest Goddess. It's just that now, well, I feel our family needs to expand."

It took some time for her words to finally sink in with Jack. When he understood, though, his feelings were perfectly clear. "WHAT?" he shouted. "Family? Us!? You must be joking! You spend days on end living in a _pond_, while I'm stuck here, slaving away."

The Goddess raised a speculative eyebrow at her husband, causing him to falter slightly. "Slaving away?" she laughed disbelievingly. "Jack, you fished for _four_ whole hours yesterday and spent a further two picking wild flowers!"

It appeared Jack had no answer to this, as he hastily changed the subject. "What do you mean 'expand' anyway? You're not - you're not _pregnant_ or anything, are you?" Even as he said it, he was still trying to fathom how that could be possible. Truth was, it couldn't...

But the Goddess nodded her head. Then, just as Jack was about to start hyperventilating, she shook it instead, plunging him into deep confusion. "Well..." she began slowly. "I _was_. But I'm not anymore."

Somewhere, between the time she started talking and the time she finished, Jack's mind went into complete meltdown. By the seems of it, his brain had just stopped working altogether. "Huh? W - Whaa - What do you mean?" he managed eventually, feeling very breathless all of a sudden. "You can't have already _had_ a baby. That's impossible!" Then, he remembered all the levitating and teleporting, and hesitated. "Isn't it?"

"You should know that anything's possible with me, Jack," the Goddess confirmed. "Listen, I did fall pregnant, okay? And with _your_ child, before you ask. I'm a Goddess, remember. I knew I needed to reproduce, so I went ahead and did it. And no, don't ask about the details of the situation, it would only confuse you more. There was no time to get you involved, of course, what with my busy schedule. Do you know how many idiots I had to save during the Winter storms last year? I mean, who in their right mind goes hiking on the eve of a blizzard? Madness."

Silence fell over the room, as the Goddess finished speaking. Jack had long since stopped listening to her excuses about the Winter, and was now staring unfocusedly into the space before him. He couldn't quite, couldn't quite..._understand_. The fact that he may already be a father, whether he liked it or not, would have to wait. "Why didn't you come and tell me you were having a baby?" he asked, his voice rising as his temper flared.

"I was busy," his wife answered, somehow managing to sound sympathetic, even in her impatience. "I _said_. There just wasn't the time for me to pay you a visit - however much I knew I should."

"Nine whole months you had!"

The Goddess only grinned at this. Her deep green eyes were glittering in a way that Jack both admired and feared at the same time; he knew then, not to second guess a Goddess. "Try nine _weeks_," she explained softly. "Different gestation periods. It's all relatively simple."

Numb with shock, but no longer truly angry, Jack could barely manage a nod. Now that all that was 'explained', he could safely turn his thoughts to the child that she had supposedly brought into the world recently. It was so bewildering, but he tried to make sense of it all. The child would obviously live with his, or indeed her, mother at the pond. He or she was the child of a Goddess and would likely possess the exact same qualities. Just like his wife, they, too, would have duties. They, too, would rarely visit, rarely be able to see him.

Jack may have thought marriage didn't live up to his expectations, but he was wrong. Marriage in general was mostly fine. It was marriage to a Goddess that was the problem.

"Don't you want to know whether you have a son or a daughter, then?" The Goddess's slightly irritated voice crashed through Jack's thoughts, casuing his head to jerk upwards in surprise. "Well? You have a son, Jack."

"Called?" he asked distantly. The burst of excitement that rushed through him was quickly dampended by a surge of bitter disappointment. It wouldn't matter to him what the child was named: he wouldn't see it.

Once again though, as she had a habit of doing, his Goddess wife surprised him. "I thought you could decide that. You have had quite a shock, after all." She looked past Jack and into the lounge, giving a significant nod of the head.

Obediently, almost like a puppet under her control, Jack turned and followed her glance. The slightest inkling of what she might be hinting at reared eagerly in the back of his head. His heart was pounding audibly, his mind racing, expectations growing - but _nothing_ could prepare him for the incredible sight that met his eyes.

He very nearly fainted.

Placed near the sofa, a little way in front of television, as though it had been there all along - although they both knew it hadn't - was a small crib. Wordlessly, breathlessly even, Jack crept tentatively forward. He had temporarily forgotten the supernatural being, currently residing on his kitchen table. His eyes were for his son only. The baby boy lying asleep on the blankets wasn't particularly spectacular. As far as Jack could tell, he was a pretty ordinary newborn. Small, crumpled, near bald with only a light covering of soft, brown hair...He seemed to be completely normal.

The Goddess was now inexplicably at Jack's shoulder. "So, what will you call him?" she breathed in her husband's ear.

Jack's mind was blank; he hadn't the first idea. Shaking his head dazedly, he mumbled, "How - just how?"

He knew she'd have some oddly logical explanantion and, sure enough, he was right. "It's not just myself that I can teleport, Jack," she replied simply. "And as for the crib? Well that was easily materialised."

"Didn't it hurt, though? You know...when you had him?"

"He was once a part of me and now he is not. He is his own person," the Goddess said. It sounded as though she was talking more to herself, than anyone else. "It's as simple as that." Something about her mysterious, far-away tone, told Jack he would get no further answer.

He turned back to the boy more confused than ever, yet strangely contented. The feeling soon vanished. He could barely look away from his son and his stomach was surely doing somersaults with excitement, but...what was the point in getting excited, really?

Swallowing determinedly, Jack faced his wife. "I can't think of a good name just now," he muttered, moving swiftly away from the crib. The Goddess followed him closely, as he realised she'd given up walking in favour of her usual effortless glide.

When she spoke she sounded distinctly indifferent. "Okay then. Well, I'm sure you'll think of something soon. As for right now, I'm afraid I can't stay any longer. Duties and such, you know."

Even though he could clearly see her heading to the door, the image simply wouldn't connect in Jack's mind. _She was leaving_..._leaving_..._with_out _the baby!_ What!? "Where - what - _what are you doing?_" the farmer choked out, shocked.

"Going. I thought I just explained."

Jack was aghast. "You can't!" he yelled, before remembering the sleeping baby and lowering his voice to a furious whisper. "How am I supposed to manage a child _and_ a farm - "

But his words were erased with a careless swipe of the Goddess's hand. "The farm will be fine, trust me. Remember those corn seeds you forgot to water last Summer? Well, let's just say they didn't survive through sheer luck."

Jack ignored this latest critiscism of his farming ability and searched around for the next problem. Unsurprisingly, it didn't take him long to settle on a glaring one. "I don't know the first thing about looking after children," he pointed out. "And besides, he's the son of Goddess. What can he do? Is he gonna randomly vanish in a puff of smoke? Turn into a rabbit? What? He should be with his mother, for Goddess sake!"

"Don't use my name in vain, Jack," she sang, circling her husband in an irritating, yet entrancing way. "And a puff of smoke? Honestly? How cliche!" However, when she saw the unimpressed look on her husband's face, she quickly changed tact. "Okay, okay. I'm a Goddess, yes? I have duties. Our son is human, therefore he does not. No, he won't shape-shift. Neither will he control the weather, read your mind or teleport the farm and it's contents to the peak of Mother's Hill every other night. He's simply an ordinary little boy."

_That couldn't be more true,_ Jack thought quite proudly, casting yet another glance at the crib. His first impression of the boy had turned out to be correct, then; he was normal. The farmer couldn't help but feel a buzz of excitement when he realised that he would be able to see his son, who had seemed to have come from nowhere, grow up.

But the feeling was tinged with sadness. If his wife had duties, _she_ would not be around for the boy. He'd worked insanely hard to convince her to marry him and, even now, she still rarely made it to birthdays or supposedly special festivals. There was little hope, then, that she'd be able to find time for her son. "Tyler," Jack murmured suddenly, struck by quiet inspiration. "That's what I'll call him. Tyler, because it's simple and ordinary and just now nothing could be better for me than normality."

His reasoning caused a somber smile to cross the Goddess's lips, but it was still a smile nonetheless. She nodded in agreement with his choice and carefully approached the crib. "Suits him," she said, peering in. Then added to Jack, "And now I really _must_ go - "

"Why?" he shot back, no longer bothering to keep his voice down. There was a faint stirring from the baby and his wife frowned, but Jack ignored her. "Can't this stupid town manage without you?"

"You knew where my place was - and will always be - when you proposed," she retorted, her voice becoming increasingly shrill. The same glowing, white light was radiating from her body again. This time, however, it seemed to emit fury rather than mystery and magic.

There was a further rustling from the crib, before Tyler's cries filled the room unexpectedly. Jack felt a new, proctective instinct within himself and was holding and rocking the child before he knew it. As he did so, all the anger bubbling inside seemed to ebb away. Resignation replaced it, and he sighed to his wife, "I understand. I _do_. If you have to go, you have to go."

The Goddess nodded gratefully as the understanding was reached. In her green eyes, though, a flicker of regret and unhappiness resided. Neither of the pair, it transpired, felt able to address it and she vanished instead in a blinding flash.

It was only while speeding away into through the consuming darkness, that she allowed herself to think the things she'd never say. For instance, she'd never admit it, but that adorable bundle in Jack's arms did things to her insides she couldn't have ever imagined. She _knew_ full well what her duties were. But still...what was the odd evening off? Or weekend perhaps? She was determined not to desert them. She would most certainly return.

Meanwhile, back at the farm, Jack was having similar thoughts. He laughed as Crusher, who'd just been let in, took one look at the baby and darted under the table whimpering. _She'd be back,_ he realised in confidence, watching his son proudly. Tyler had stopped crying now and opened his eyes to look back at his father. They were jade green. Like his mother's really, but duller. Natural.

Jack beamed again as Crusher barked piteously from beneath the table. His family was unconvential all right. An incompetent farmer, Goddess wife, cowardly guard dog and the most accepting infant in the world_. Normality,_ Jack wondered again, knowing he wouldn't change them for the world, _who needed it?_

* * *

**A/N -** Woo! It's finally finished! Okay, so I think this one was probably the weirdest, but I _loved_ writing it. I hoped you all enjoyed reading it too. Bye and don't forget to leave a review!


End file.
